Interlocking device for storage cabinets



J. MANDEL INTERLOCKiNG DEVICE FOR STORAGE CABINETS Jan. 1, 1946.

Filed Oct. 16, 1942 "I" "1 2. .1 I. I. I I I I 1 I I 1 I l l I I u I INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 1, 1946 INTERIJOCKING DEVICE FOR- STORAGE CABINETS Jacob Mandel; New York, N. Y., vassignor to Promto File Corporation, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application October 16, 1942, Serial No. 462,269

' 8 Claims. c1.312'-111) The present invention relates'to individual files adapted to be stacked one above the other-and to be arranged in adjacent vertical columns, and

more particularly to collapsible storage files of th drawer and casings type made predominantly of paper board stock and reinforced at various points, and particularly at theppen front end of the casing with metallic members.

It is the'general object of the invention to provide improved interlocking means for interconnecting adjacent files, and especially horizontally adjacent files, to each other in a simple and expeditious manner. 7

It is further object of the invention to provide locking means for interconnecting horizontally adjacent files so as to prevent relative displacement in either the horizontal or vertical direction, such locking means being separate and independent of connecting devices provided for connecting vertically uperposed files to prevent horizontal displacement therebetween.

It is also an object of the inventionto provide interlocking means for horizontally adjacent files which does not increase, or does not substantially increase the spacing otherwise necessary between the horizontal adjacent files.

It is a still further object of the inventionto provide an interlocking structure for horizontally adjacent files which interengages directly with the reinforcing members at the front, open ends of the casings, whereby interconnecting mechanism for the vertically superposed files can be formed as completely fiat members, and without the necessity for the provision of projecting elements for engaging and interlocking horizontally adjacent casings, as shown in the patent to Sol Scheinman, No. 2,277,155, issued March 24, 1942, over which the present invention is an improvement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from th following detailed description of the invention, and the features of novelty will be set forth in the subjoined claims.

A satisfactory embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a front end view inyelevation, partly broken away, and showing a showing also the locking key in position on one of the casings.

'Fig. 3 is'an enlarged view of the interconnecting member and is taken along the line III-III of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view, partly in. section, showing one of the interlocking members.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the initial positionof the locking key for engagement with the side reinforcing member of the casing.

Fig. 6 represents a. vertical section taken along the line VI--VI of Fig. 5. 7 l

Fig. 7 shows the locking key in rotated, locking position. I N

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section along the line VIII-VIII of Fig. 7. y ,7

The invention is illustrated on th drawing as applied to collapsible, reinforced paper storage files of the type shown in the patent to Scheinman and Mandel, No. 2,110,556, issued March 8,

1938. The main body H] of the casing of the file is made of corrugated or other paper stock, and is reinforced at its open front end by metallic rein-.

forcing members which may be separate from each other, as shown in the last mentioned patent, or united to form a unitary, rigid frame H which is slipped on the open end of'the erectedfcasing and secured thereto in any suitable manner. The body'of the casing can, of course, be made of other materia1 than paper, and as the structure of the casing itself and of its specific reinforcemerit forms no part of the present invention, it need not be described in further detail.

The side reinforcing members ll of the casing are provided at their upper ends with a pair of socket members or straps I3,.and at their lower ends with a similar and symmetrically positioned pair of sockets or straps l4 struck from the body of the side reinforcing member. These sockets ar adapted to receive snugly the upper and low--, er shanks or extensions I5 and I6, respectively, of an interconnectin member H, as best seen in Fig. 3, the shanks l5 and I6 passing through and beyond the lower and upper socket of the lower and upper pairs of sockets. The intermediate portion 18 of the interconnecting member is of square or oblong form, and is wider thanth shanks l5 and Hi to provide shoulders I 9. The height of the central portion I8 is 'so determined that in the assembled condition, shown in Fig, 3, the shoulders engage the adjacent edges of the walls of the inner of each pair of sockets or straps. In this way, the interconnecting members'aid in transmitting the vertical load from bers I! are stamped from flat stock, there being,

no projections on these members which will have the effect of increasing the clearance space between two horizontally adjacent columns of files, such spacing being determined entirely by the contacting socket walls of horizontally adjacent .flles, as can be seen from Figs. 1 and 4.

In orderto lock adjacent vertical columns of files against displacementin any: direction, and; especially in the horizontal direction (as when heavily loaded drawer is withdrawn from its casing), I provide a locking key-which engages.

directly with the side reinforcing members of the casing and fits snugly into the space between horizontally adjacent files and provided by thecontacting socket members l3 and I4. To. this end, I provide a locking key which, like the interconnecting member H, can be made of metal or:

key 20 -is roughly the form of an L-shaped structure, and it is composed of two spaced plates joined along theedge ll, the key beinsi refererably formed from a roughlyY-shaped blank which isjbent along the central line 2!. Upon each side of'the key, there are struck a pairof oppositely facing lugs 22, the inner su'r-facesofthe lugsjbeingspaced' from the adjacent surface ofithe' key by a distance slightlylarger than the thickness of the reinforcing member on the side "walls of. the'casing. These; reinforcing. members are provided, preferably at-their central portions, with elongated. slots 23 of. such shape as to accommodate snugly a pair oflugs. As will bereadily understo'od, uporrpassing'a pair of lugsinto the aperture 2 3"of 'a reinforcing member. on onev casing and then moving the horizontally adjoining casing into position to bring the apertures in the reinforcing member of 'such casing into engagement with. the opposite pairoflugseach pair of lugs being then-positioned beyond and rearwardly of the adjoining reinforcing member, and upon rotation of the key from the position shown in Fig. 5, to that shown in Fig. 6, the lugs will be brought into a position in which they securely lock the adjacent reinforcing members on the horizontally adjoining files'in the manner of a bayonet 'or turnbutton'type of joint. As canibe seen from Figs. 6 and 8, the lugs are located entirely inside of the reinforcing members, and the outer-surfaces of the. main body of; the key are in close. contact with the outer surfaces of the reinforcing members. As the total thickness of. the body of the key is. preferably no more than the clearance provided by the engagement of the socket members I 3 and [4 on horizontally adjacent casings, no increase in the clearance between, such casings is made necessary by the provision of the locking key 20..

The 'generaloutline of the pair of lugs22. will be similar to that of the elongated apertures 23; and the distance between the outeredges of' the lugs will be 1 substantially greater than the width itbe desired to release the casings.

of the apertures. This will nsure that the lugs will penetrate a sufiicient distance behind the walls of the apertures 23 to provide a firm interlock.

The key is preferably so dimensioned, and the apertures 23 are so located, that in the locking position, the key will be located. inwardly of the front edgesof the casings; preferably, the forward longitudinal edge 2| of the key is more or less fiush with the front edges of the casings, so that the key can be easily engaged at'its bottom edge with thefinger and rotated outwardly, should In this way the key is made inconspicuous and at the same jtime readily accessible.

The key 20v may be provided with a through aperture 24, through which a wire may be passed for securing the key to the reinforcing metallic frame or to any other part of the casing to prevent loss of the key in transit.

While. I have shown-the. lugs. as. located onthe locking key-and the apertures or slots on there-.1 iii-forcing; members, it is. obvious that these struce tures. can bereversed, that is, the. lugs can. be. positioned onthe reinforcing members, and; the elongated slotson the key. I Other variations from they specific. structure illustrated can be. resorted to within the scope of the-appended claims with. out.departingessentially from the spirit. of the invention.

' I claim:

' 1; The combination. of a. pair of'horizontally adjacent files each composedlof a, drawer and casing and having vertical metallic members at the; side. wall front edges. thereof, and socket elements struck from and projecting fromthe body... of saidv metallic members at the topand bottom thereof toreceive a connecting member for locking the casing to a superposed casing, said; casings. beingv adapted to be assembled in a battery of files wherein horizontally adjacent casings are in contact at the projecting socket elements, and a locking member having a body provided with meansengaging themetallic mom-'- bers of. horizontally. adjacent casings to hold. the same against horizontal. displacement, the body of said'locking. member fitting wholly within the limited clearance space between. the'facing vertical metallic members on horizontally adjacentcasings and formed: when thesock'et elements. are inlateral engagement.

. 2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the locking. memberis in the form of a substantially L-shapedkey and wherein the longitudinal edge of the key is substantiallyflush with thefront edges of thecasings when r the key isin locking position. a

3. The combination with a pair of horizontally adjacent casings having elongated apertures-in the. facing side walls thereof, ofa locking key comprising a handleportion and a body portion having locking lugs. oneach side ofthe. body portionthereof, said lugs having portions spaceda. suflicient distance from the body'of 'the key to enable the walls. ofthe elongated apertures in. the said casings. tobe received between said lugs and the body ofthe key, the lugs on the 015- positfe. sides of the key being insertable simultaneously within the elongated apertures of adjacent casings, the distance between the outer ends of the lugs being greater than the width of the apertures, whereby upon rotationof the key after entry of the lugs into the said apertures, said lugs become interlocked with the walls of the apertures, theangle betweenthe body or the key and the handle thereof being such that upon said rotation, the key is disposed wholly between the adjacent casings.

4. The combination with a pair of horizontally adjacent casings, having elongated apertures in the facing side walls thereof, of a locking key having oppositely facing lugs on each side thereof, said lugs being spaced a suiiicientuistance from the body of the key to enable the walls of the elongated apertures in the side walls of said casings to be received between said lugs and the body of the key, the distance between the outer ends of the lugs being greater than the width of said apertures but not greater than the length thereof, whereby upon rotation of the key through about 90, after insertion in a pair of aligned apertures, said lugs become interlocked with the walls of said apertures, the key being of substantially L-shape and being composed of a piece of sheet metal bent over on itself along a central line.

5. A locking key for horizontally adjacent casings, said key being formed into two spaced plates by bending a piece of sheet metal on itself, and having oppositely facing lugs on each of said plates, said lug's having overhanging portions spaced from the said plates to enable a metal plate to be received and gripped between said lugs and the respective plates, the distance between the outer ends of the lugs on either plate being greater than the width of the lugs.

6. The combination with a pair of horizontally adjacent casings having elongated apertures at the facing side wall marginal portions thereof, of a locking ke having oppositely facing lugs on each side thereof, said lugs being spaced a sufficient distance from the body of the key to enable the walls of the elongated apertures in the side walls Of said casings to be received between said lugs and the body of the key, the distance between the outer ends of the lugs being greater than the width of said apertures, whereby upon rotation of the key through about after insertion in a pair of aligned apertures; said lugs become interlocked with the walls 01 said apertures, said key having a, handle portion adapted to project beyond the front edges of the side walls of the casings when the lugs are interengaged with said apertures and movable to a position inwardly of said front edges on said rotation.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1, including connecting members constituted of flat stock and fitted into the adjacent socket ele-' ments of superposed files.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the vertical metallic members are provided with elongated apertures intermediately of the top and bottom socket members, the said means on the locking member comprising elements having overhanging portions which fit into aligned apertures 0n horizontally juxtaposed casings and on rotation of the key grip behind the walls of the apertures to lock such casings to gether.

JACOB MANDEL. 

